Jack illumination



Oct.29,1940. EMPFAUSER 2,219,903

JACK ILLUMINATION File d Feb. 3, 1959 u L INVENTO MMv mw ATTORNEY Patented oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Edward M. Pfauser, Elm Grove, 'Wia, assignor to Blackhawk Mfg. 00., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation or Wisconsin Application February 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,399

' 3 Claims. (01. 240-6.)

relatively long jack transporting handles, for the purpose of bodily elevating vehicles of considerable weight from the ground. Most of these service jacks have a relatively low and long wheel supported carriage to one end of which the operating handle is 'pivotally attached, and with the medial portion of which a lifting arm is swingably associated, whereby oscillation of the handle will cause a saddle at the swinging end of the lifting arm remote from the handle to :5 engage and lift the work. This type of jack is low enough so that the carriage may be inserted beneath an automobile and the lifting arm may be positioned under the axles or frame, from either end or from either side of the vehicle, and

80 when the jack is utilized in dark or dimly lighted garages, it is impossible to see just where the saddle is being applied unless special artificial lighting devices such as portable lamps, are provided. When no electric current from a power 35 line is available, other lighting devices such as an ordinary flash light may be used, but it is difficult for the jack operator to simultaneously manipulate the jack and properly handle the flash light.

It is therefore an object of my present invention to provide a simple'and eflicient lighting system for a portable service jack of the above described general type, whereby a beam of light may be directed toward the work zone without annoying or burdening .the operator during manipulation of the jack. I

Another specific object of my invention is to provide a new and useful service jack illuminat- 50 ing system which may be quickly and conveniently thrown into or out of service at the will of an operator, and wherein all parts of the system are well protected and concealed from possible damage.

u A further specific object of the invention is to provide an improved service jack having a lighting system incorporated directly therein to provide a unitary assemblage, so that the jack and illuminating system are transportable as a single unit. 5 Still another specific object of this invention is to provide an improved flash type of lighting system, which is adapted to be readily applied to relatively standard service jack assemblages, at slight additional cost.

These and other. specific objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description. I A clear conception of one, embodiment of my invention, and of the mode-of constructing, ap-

' plying and of utilizing the improved service jack illuminating system, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a relatively standard hydraulic garage service jack having my improved illuminating system applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through portions of the jack of I of hydraulic garage service jack, it is not intended to thereby unnecessarily restrict the scope or utility of the present improvementwhich is obviously susceptible of more general application to other types of portable jacks and devices.

Referring" to the drawing, the portable hydraulic' garage service jack to which my present improvement has been specifically applied, comprises generally a horizontally elongated rather low frame consisting primarily of a pair of laterally spaced opposite side beams 6 between which a hydraulic jack casing I is clamped, and which is transportably supported'by front wheels, 8 and rear caster wheels 9; an elongated lifting am Hi swingably suspended at one end from a medial portion of the beams 6 by a pivot pin II, and

having a work engaging saddle i2 pivotally attached to the opposite swinging end thereof; hydraulic power transmission mechanism confined within the casing I and being operable by a plunger I3; and an oscillatory carriage transporting and plunger actuating lever I4 swingably attached at its lower end to the casing I by means of pivot pins l5 and having hollow manipulating handles I6 at its upper opposite end, see Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the interior of the jack casing I is provided with a liquid supply reservoir H which is normally closed by a removable cover I8 located near the actuating handle lever I4; and is also provided with a displacement chamber I9 to which an actuating ram for the lifting arm I0 is exposed, and the ram 20 is horizontally reciprocable in the casing bore 2| and is cooperable with a depending portion of the arm I0 beneath the pivot pin I I. The plunger I3 is slidable in a horizontal bore 22 of the casing fl and is reciprocable by the lever I4 through links 23; and the interior of the plunger I3 is bored for coaction with a fixed hollow plunger 24 the interior of which communicates past inlet and discharge valves 25, 25 and ducts in the casing I, with the reservoir I1 and chamber I9 respectively, in a well known manner. The casing 1 is also provided with a liquid return passage having therein a by-pass valve 21 the opening and closing of which is controllable by a rotary plug 28; and this plug isrotatable for adjustment purposes, by means of a rod 29 disposed centrally within the handle lever I4 and having its lower end connectedto the plug 28 by a universal joint 30 while the upper rod end is provided with an actuating knob 3I journaled in the lever I4 near the handle I6. All of these jack details are old and well known, except that the closure cover I8 is of special construction.

The improved lighting system constituting my present improvement, comprises an electric light bulb 32 detachably associated with the closure cover I8 and protected by a removable transparent lens housing 33; one or more dry cells or batteries 34 housed within one of the hollow handles I6; a push-button switch.35 carried by and operable from the end of the battery-housing handle I6; and current conductors or wires 36 extending from the batteries 34 and switch through the lever I4 and cover I8 to the lamp socket 31. The common axis of the lamp or bulb 32 and of the socket 31, is preferably directed upwardly and forwardly toward the normal zone of action of the saddle I2; and the casing cover I8 adjacent the socket 31- may be provided with an approximately parabolic polished reflecting surface 33 for projecting a beam of light through the lens housing 33 which is formed of durable material and is readily detachable to permit access to the bulb. The end of the insulated conductor or wire 33 adjacent the socket 31 is provided with a contact plate 39 which is pressed forwardly by a spring 40 to insure effective contact with the central contact plate of the bulb 32, and the opposite end of the wire 36 is secured to insulating plates 4| and constantly coacts with the central contact of one of the battery cells 34, see Fig. 4. The push-button is mounted for reciprocation within a thimble 42 which is'screw threaded into the end of the housing handle I 6, and is constantly pressed away from the battery cell casing by means of a coil spring 43 which is insulated from the thimble 42 and button 35' by a bushing 44. When the button 35 is pressed to compress the spring .43 and to cause the inner end of the button plunger to contact the battery casing, the electric circuit is completed through the handle I6, lever I4, pivot pins I5, casing I and cover I8, thereby illuminating the bulb 32, whereas release of the push-button 35 will cause the spring 43 to break the circuit.

When the jack and the illuminating system have been properly assembled, the handle lever I4 may beswung in any desired position about the pivot pins I5 and may be'utilized to either transport the carriage or to elevate the lifting arm II). Lowering of the arm I0 may be effected by merely manipulating the knob 3i at the upper end of the lever I4, so as to release the by-pass valve 21, whereas oscillation of the lever I4 about the pivot pins I5 will elevate the lifting arm III.

When it is desired to position the jack in a relatively inaccessible and dark place, but with the saddle I2 properly positionedwith respect to the work which is to be lifted, the operator may direct light rays or a beam of light toward the zone of action of the saddle I2, by, merely pressing the push-button 35. Pressure applied to the pushbutton 35 with the operator's thumb and without necessarily releasing the handle I6, will compress the spring 43 and will complete an electric circuit from the battery cellsv 35 through the light bulb 32. Illumination of the light bulb 32 will cause rays of light to be reflected from the surface 38 through the transparent lens housing 33 toward the zone of action of the saddle I2,

thus enabling the operator to properly position this saddle beneath the work. After the jack has been thus properly positioned, the pushbutton 35 may be released and the lifting arm I0 may be subsequently raised to elevate the work. It will thus be apparent that the improved lighting system permits the operator to quickly and conveniently illuminate the zone of action of the saddle I2 without interfering with the normal operation of the handle lever I4. Because of the factthat a flexible conductor or wire 35 is utilized, oscillation of the handle lever I4 is not interfered with, and since this wire 35 is housed substantially entirely within the hollow lever I4 and within the closure cover I3, it is protected against possible damage; The flexibility of the wire 36 furthermore permits convenient removal of the cover I3 if it is desired to gain access to the reservoir I'I Withoutdisturbing any of the electric connections, and the bulb 32 is readily accessible upon removal of the housing 33, whilev the battery cells 34 may be conveniently replaced upon removal of the thimble 42. I

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that my present invention provides an extremely simple, compact and highly efflcient illuminating system forservice jacks or the like, which may be installed and manipulated without interfering with the normal operation of theja'ck. The improved illuminating system insures effective lighting of the zone of action of the saddle I2, and can obviously be installed on any service jack regardless of whether the lifting arm is operated hydraulically or through mechanical mechanism. By positioning the control switch 35 directly adjacent to the actuating handle I5, the lighting system may be utilized whenever desirable, without causing the operator to release his grip on the handles, and the cost ofinstallation and of operation of the illuminating system is obviously negligible when the advantages-derived are taken into consideration.

The improved assemblage has'proven extremely satisfactory in actual commercial use, and is especially adapted for application to standard jacks of the garage service type.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use, herein shown and described, for various modifications within thescope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A service jack comprising, a transportable carriage having a lifting arm swingably suspended therefrom, mechanism for swinging said arm in a plane extending longitudinally of said carriage, a hollow lever swingable in said plane to actuate said mechanism, said lever having internal control connections for said mechanism and also having a hollow handle at its swinging end, a light bulb mounted on said carriage and having a reflector for directing rays of light forwardly and in said plane, a battery housed within said handle and being connected to said bulb through the interior of said lever, and a control switch for said bulb forming a closure for said handle.

2. A service jack comprising, a transportable the central longitudinal plane of said carriage, a hollow lever swingable in said plane to actuate said mechanism, said lever having internal control connections for said mechanism and also having a hollow laterally projecting handle at its swinging end, a light ,bulb mounted on said carriage and having a reflector for directing rays of light'forwardly and in said plane, a battery housed within said handle and being connected to said bulb through the interior of said lever, and a control switch for said bulb associated with said handle.

3. A service jack comprising, a transportable carriage having a lifting arm pivotally suspended therefrom, mechanism for swinging said arm in the central longitudinal plane of said carriage, a hollow lever swingable in said plane to actuate said mechanism, said lever having internal control connections for said mechanism and also having a hollow laterally projecting handle at its swinging end, a light bulb mounted on said carriage near the pivot of said lever and having a reflector for directing rays of light forwardly and in said plane, a battery housed within said handle and being connected to said bulb through the interior of said lever and near the lever pivot, and a control switch forming a closure plug for confining said battery within said handle.

EDWARD M. P'FAUSER. 

